Voluntary

Commentary: Columnist Nelson Griswold discusses why sophisticated employee benefit advisers are increasingly discussing self-funding of the health plan with mid-size employers.

Selecting the right partners, learning from colleagues and understanding the needs of each client will help agents who are new to this space.

No longer hiding on an intranet or mentioned in a one-off meeting, voluntary benefits are making a big impact on private exchanges, especially as high deductible plans increase and employees self-select into lower coverage.